


First Christmas

by TheTeaIsAddictive



Category: Beauty and the Beast (1991)
Genre: Christmas, Enchanted Christmas follow-up, F/M, except everything to do with the demon pipe organ didn't happen, i explain it in the opening notes don't fret
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-10
Updated: 2016-06-10
Packaged: 2018-07-14 07:09:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7158968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheTeaIsAddictive/pseuds/TheTeaIsAddictive
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"What do you want to do about that, anyway?"</p>
<p>"What, Christmas?" Belle asked, slightly surprised. "I thought you'd decided. I mean, last year I was a bit of an idiot, trying to force you into it when you made your feelings clear on the subject." She squeezed his fingers lightly and smiled, to assure him that she wasn't trying to assign blame. "I just assumed that this year would either be quiet or non-existent."</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>Belle and Adam's first Christmas together following the curse being broken.</p>
            </blockquote>





	First Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> I personally don't like Enchanted Christmas, so here there was no Tim Curry pipe organ trying to murder everyone, but still the general tension and resolution in the film (minus the part where she left to cut down a tree and was thrown in a dungeon because really? That's the kind of relationship you want to paint as romantic to impressionable viewers?? /End rant). 
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

**First Christmas**

"Oh look, Adam, it's snowing!" Belle cried, looking up from her book to see the falling snow out the library windows. Her husband of three months turned around in his seat, mild interest on his face. His head had been resting on his folded arms just a second ago while she read aloud to him, as had become a habit of theirs over the past year. She could see his shoulders straighten a little, as he took in the sight. 

"So it is," he smiled. "It's nice to see it again after this hot autumn. I almost thought there'd be no snow at all this year." 

"It's nicer to know we'll have a white Christmas after all," Belle said, already feeling a little cool. "I never think it feels like Christmas without snow." 

"Yes," Adam said briefly. "What do you want to do about that, anyway?"

"What, Christmas?" Belle asked, slightly surprised. "I thought you'd decided. I mean, last year I was a bit of an idiot, trying to force you into it when you made your feelings clear on the subject." She squeezed his fingers lightly and smiled, to assure him that she wasn't trying to assign blame. "I just assumed that this year would either be quiet or non-existent."

"Not non-existent, no," Adam said, looking down at their hands. Their wedding rings reflected the candlelight thoughtfully provided by Lumière. "I know it's been . . . difficult for me, in the past, but I'd like it if we celebrated properly this year - like we did before the curse. Were you living in the village then?"

"No," Belle said. "I was about eight or nine when Papa and I arrived. What was it like back then?"

"You're going to tease me for this, but honestly? Magical." A grin spread across Adam's face as the adjective caused Belle to frown. "Wait a minute and hear me out. For one thing, I was younger than ten, so to a child it _would_ seem magical."

"I'll give you that," she conceded. "But if you don't give me actual descriptions . . ." Adam laughed, and kissed his wife's hand.

"There were decorations all over the castle, wreaths and everything. And there was a Christmas tree in the ballroom, like we had last year - we used to invite some of the villagers up for gift-giving and so on, and the children would dance around the tree before the presents were handed out. They'd stay for some dancing in the afternoon, but most of the time they left before Christmas dinner. We'd eat, and in the evening there was usually a ball. I never found that part fun, oddly enough," he chuckled. "Most of the time I fell asleep partway through, so I never actually found out what would happen at the end of the ball." 

"And what about time with your family?" Belle asked. 

"That was usually in the mornings," Adam said, "before church, and up until Cogsworth notified us that the villagers were on their way here. It was nice."

"Nice?" Belle asked. "Use your words, o husband of mine." Even after three months, a little thrill still went though her when she used the word husband. She knew Adam felt the same with regard to calling her his wife. "What was nice about it?" she clarified.

"Just to be able to spend time with them. Once Louis turned twelve I barely saw him. Christmas meant we were guaranteed a few hours together, at least." He pressed her hand gently. "That's what usually happened at Christmastime, anyway. Does it sound like something you'd like to do?"

"Yes," Belle smiled. "Shall I go and tell Cogsworth?"

"Can we finish this book first?" Adam asked. 

"Of course," Belle smiled, and she leaned over to give him a brief kiss. "Where were we, do you remember?" 

"As I am a man, I think this lady . . ."

"To be my child Cordelia," Belle completed, finding the place in their book. "And so I am, I am . . ."

 

The Christmas Adam had described wasn't quite what they ended up having. Only a few of the villagers agreed to come up to the castle; Monsieur Donmarché the bookseller, some of Maurice's colleagues from the bar, and to Belle's infinite surprise, Thérèse Gillenormand, one of the blonde triplets. Although Belle reasoned that she hadn't really expected many people to come in the first place. Their town hero had died almost a year ago and their ruler had appeared out of nowhere; she would have been more surprised if they had all come to the castle. 

Monsieur Donmarché and Belle hugged enthusiastically when they met again, but she restrained herself to a simple handshake for everybody else when she saw a look of panic in her husband's eyes. He smiled at her in relief, and Belle felt her heart warm. They were a team, after all. They took care of each other. She greeted her father's work colleagues with old familiarity, and introduced them to Adam with anecdotes from her childhood which he hadn't heard before. She knew that her background meant whatever relationship he'd had with the villagers before would be irrevocably different after their marriage, but she also knew that was okay. She had paused briefly before introducing Thérèse - what was she supposed to say? Here, possible King of France, meet one of the girls who fawned over the man who nearly killed you! She settled for saying, "This is Thérèse Gillenormand, one of the girls from the village." If Adam recognised her from Belle's stories, he was polite enough not to say anything until after they had left. 

The talk with the villagers was polite and constrained. The first year of anything new was difficult, Belle knew. Still, Maurice, Belle, Adam and Monsieur Donmarché all breathed easier when the others had left. There was no ball that year - or at least, not an official royal ball. Adam had given Cogsworth permission to host a ball for the servants, and while the four of them talked and laughed in the library, the sounds of general merrymaking were heard from below. 

"Would you mind of I went down below?" Maurice asked once the sun had set. "It's been a while since I danced, and I think there's some liveliness in these bones yet."

Belle laughed. Maurice's words had revealed the reason why his suit today was so nice - and it had nothing to do with the fact that his daughter's in-laws were royalty. "Go on, Papa. I'm sure it'll be fine. Mrs. Potts will forgive you for waiting so long to join her." 

His face relaxed into a smile. "Jean, would you like to join me?"

"Of course, Maurice," Monsieur Donmarché said. "Goodbye Belle, and Merry Christmas!" He bowed in Adam's direction. "Merry Christmas, Your Highness." When the door closed behind the two men, Belle could feel Adam relax beside her. 

"I hope one day he's comfortable enough around me to call me by name and not title," Adam said. 

"He will be," Belle smiled, taking their isolation as a chance to move closer to her husband. "Just give him time." She perched on Adam's lap, wrapping her arms around his neck, and relaxed into his arms around her waist. She kissed his temple, stroking gently at the wisps of hair there. "So, how was this first Christmas?" she asked quietly. 

"Good," he said after a moment. "Not like it was before, but there's time for that - villagers will be more comfortable, nobles will come to visit . . . and I'll be more at home with larger crowds."

Belle smiled, a little sadly. His long curse had left Adam fearful of large crowds - or no, not fearful exactly, but definitely anxious. 

"But of course," Adam continued a moment later, "it was perfect, really, because you were here."

"I was here last year," Belle laughed. 

"Last year was barely Christmas," he retorted, laughing with her. "And besides, you weren't my wife last year." He turned to face her, and the love on his face struck her. Belle hoped they would always look at each other with love in the years to come. She leaned down and kissed him, slow and sweet. Emotion rose up in her chest, because Adam was right. Despite the awkwardness and the limited guests, they had each other. And because of that, this Christmas, their first as a married couple and many years to come, really was perfect.

**Author's Note:**

> That scene of them reading King Lear together is based off a piece of artwork I saw once on tumblr and didn't put in my beauty and the beast tag (so I have NO IDEA what the url is) but rest assured it was adorable and pretty much an exact redraw of the scene in 'Human Again' (in the film, obviously) where they read Romeo and Juliet, except the prince is human and has even bigger heart-eyes.
> 
> Originally posted 30/12/2015 on ff.net


End file.
